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Dubai replaces radar with LIDAR to combat 'tailgating'

In a bid to combat to increasing menace of ‘tailgating’, the Dubai Traffic Police is modernizing its enforcement technology on the arterial roads of the emirate, including the six-lane Sheikh Zayed Road.

Over 50 new Vitronic PoliScan LIDAR systems will replace the existing radar-based speed cameras, which is expected to significantly enhance the enforcement capabilities of the authorities. In addition to simultaneous speed enforcement of multiple vehicles across all lanes, the police can now automatically document vehicles that are tailgating or driving on the hard shoulder, which are two major causes of serious accidents in the emirate.

Official statistics show that tailgating caused 532 traffic accidents in Dubai during 2014, resulting in 22 deaths and 426 injuries. The Dubai Police have also revealed that 11 people had already been killed in tailgating accidents during the first five months of this year.

All Vitronic’s traffic monitoring systems are based on LIDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging) laser scanner measurement technology, which enables high-precision measurements over several lanes of traffic and eliminates the need to integrate equipment into the road surface. Due to the benefits that can be offered by using LIDAR technology, more than 5,000 of the company’s laser scanners are currently used in traffic monitoring systems around the world. The LIDAR systems are also capable of detecting heavy goods vehicles that drive outside designated times or use lanes reserved for passenger cars, as well as a range of other violations.

Announcing the deployment of the new units, Maj Gen Mohammed Al Zafeen, assistant commander general for Dubai Police, said, “The system will reduce traffic accidents and fatalities by penalizing motorists who fail to observe a safe distance between themselves and other vehicles. Motorists must keep five meters between their vehicle and car in front while driving at 50mph or more.

"The technology the system uses is very precise and can determine the distance between vehicles travelling at any speed. It is equipped with a camera to capture violating cars, which produces visual evidence for violations. I urge all motorists to strictly observe a safe distance between vehicles to ensure their own safety, and the safety of others, and to create an accident-free traffic environment.”

Vitronic says the first 20 PoliScan units have already been installed within four days, with the remaining replacements underway. The PoliScan systems have been nicknamed, ‘Al Burj’ (The Tower) by motorists and the media in Dubai and other Emirates, due to their distinctive appearance.

The company was the first to introduce a pillared housing design to traffic enforcement in 2008. “It is rare to have a product that is so recognizable that people give it its own name,” noted Youssef El Hansali, CEO of Vitronic Machine Vision Middle East. “This is the ultimate confirmation of our philosophy to lead the industry, not only in measuring technology, but also in product design.”